Drawing mechanism



Ma-Y 7, 1940- o. w. scHLuMs .199.842

DRAWING MECHANISM Filed A ril 11, 1938- I INVENTOR.

V///////// /{//////A 0560 yak/21am I v BY al M ATTORNEY.

Patented May 7,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Whitin Machine Works, corporation of Massachusetts Application April 11,

1, Claim.

This invention relates to mechanism for drawing textile fibres. While capable of general application, the invention is particularly applicable to the drawing of glass or silicate fibres or other fibres which are of a fragile or brittle nature.

In the ordinary drawing mechanism, as used for instance in drawing cotton fibres, the fibres are gripped between a lower metal driving roll having a fluted surface and an upper or presser roll having a cushioned surface, commonly of leather. But such a combination cannot be used for drawing silicate or similar fibres, as the fluted driving roll breaks the fibres.

A smooth-surface driving roll cannot be used, as slippage between the driving rolland the cushioned roll would produce irregular draft. Furthermore, silicate and similar fibres should be drafted between pairs of rolls which are both cushioned and preferably cork-covered. If a cork-covered roll is driven by the usual fluted roll, however, the cork surface is quickly roughened to such an extent as to make the roll inoperative.

It is the general object of my invention to provide a construction by which a cork-covered or cushioned roll may be effectively driven without destroying the driving surface of the roll.

To the attainment of this object, I provide an upper roll having a cushioned or cork-covered surface of greater length than the yarn transverse, and I provide a lower or driving roll having spaced fluted portions which engage the edge portions only of the cushioned or cork surface of the upper roll, which edge portions are beyond the range of yarn traverse. That portion of the lower roll which engages the middle portion or working surface of the upper roll is provided with a smooth and polished surface which can have no roughing effect on the cork-covered upper roll.

Such a driving combination may have a single cushioned upper roll for each lower driving roll, as used in drafting rayon, celanese. fine cotton and other fine fibres, or may have a pair of upper rolls for use in drafting silicate or other similar fibres.

My invention further relates to arrangements and combinations of parts which will be hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claim.

Preferred forms of the invention are shown in the drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a sectional end elevation of a portion of a drawing mechanism embodying my improvements;

Fig. 2 is substantially a front elevation of the Whitinsville, -Mass.,- a

1938, Serial No. 201,342

parts shown in Fig, 1, looking in the direction of the arrow 2 and with certain parts shown in section; and r Fig. 3 is an end elevation showing'my invention as applied to the drafting or rayon or other fine butnot brittle fibres.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2. I have shown mechanism particularly designed for drawing or drafting silicate fibres and comprising lower or driving rolls it! supported in bearing brackets Ii mounted on a, frame i2. Any desired number of driving rolls it! may be provided and two such rolls are shown in the drawing. I

Upper and lower top rolls 2|! and 2| are provided for each driving roll l0, and these top rolls are each preferably provided with a cork or cushioned surface. In the preferred construction, a pair of upper top rolls 2!! are mounted on a short shaft 22, and a pair of lower top rolls 2| are mounted on a short shaft 23. The ends of the shafts 22 and 23 are received in substantially vertical guideways 24 formed in the sides of fixed stands 25.

The top rolls are thus mounted for free movement vertically but may be pressed downward against the driving rolls III by weights or springs, acting through links 30 and top roll saddles 3| which may be of any usual construction.

Referring to Fig. 2, it will be seen that the lower top rolls 2i are substantially wider than the upper top rolls 20, and that the driving roll III has smooth-surfaced portions 33, each substantially equal in width to a top roll 20 and bordered by knurled or fluted portions 34 which engage the edge portions of the superposed lower top roll 2|.

The portions 33 and 34 of the driving roll Ill are of substantially equal diameter, the knurled or fluted portions 34 being only a few thousandths larger than the smooth portions 33. Consequently each lower top roll 2| engages portions 33 and 34 of a driving roll throughout its full width, the engagement of the roll 2| with the portions 34 being sufficient to prevent relative slippage between the rolls.

Traverse rods 40 and traverse guides 41 are provided for the different sets of rolls, and the traverse oi the yarns Y is limited thereby, so as not to exceed the width of the upper top rolls 20 or the width of the smooth portions 33 of the driving rolls.

With this construction, the center portions of the lower top rolls 2! which are engaged by the upper rolls 20 and by the yarns Y do not come into contact with the fluted or knurled portions 34 of the driving rolls l0, but only with the middie portions 3: of the rolls In which have smooth polished surfaces.

The rolls 2| are thus driven at predetermined speed and maintain uniform draft, while 'at the same time the yarn-engaging portions of their surfaces do not become roughened or inoperative by engagement with a fluted or knurled driving surface of the roll I0.

I am thus able to perform drawing operations between pairs of cork-covered or cushioned rolls, while at 'the same time maintaining uniform draft, The mounting of the rolls 20 and 2| on short shafts, as 22 and 23, facilitates removal of the rolls for occasional buffing.

In Fig. 3, I have shown my invention embodied in drawing mechanism suitable for use with cotton, rayon or other similar fibres in which the drawing takes place between driven lower rolls 50 and cushioned upper rolls 5|. It will be understood that the lower rolls 50 are formed like the rolls HI shown in Fig. 2. and that they contact with the top rolls 5| outside only of the range of traverse of the yarn Y.

, My invention as thus applied to the drafting of cotton or rayon or similar fibres possesses an important advantage over the usual drafting by fluted rolls in that the smooth polished surfaces of the rolls 50 which engage the yarn do not load up with lint, dirt and short fibres, as frequently happens with fluted rolls. This avoids the frequent cleaning of the rolls previously necessary from time to time to prevent accumulations of dirt and lint from being carried into the yarn, with detrimental effects.

This method of roll driving may be utilized in any machine in which fibres are drafted between pairs of rolls.

Having thus described my invention and the advantages thereof, I do not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, otherwise than as set forth in the claim, but what I claim is:

In a drawing mechanism having a driving roll with spaced operative sections and having upper and lower cushioned top rolls between which the sliver passes, the feature that the lower top rolls are wider than the upper top rolls, that the operative sections of the driving roll are substantially equal in width to the width of the lower top rolls, and that each section of the driving roll comprises a smooth middle portion corresponding in width to the width of the upper top roll and a roughened driving portion at each side of said smooth portion, said smooth and roughened portions being of substantially equal diameters and simultaneously engaging the cushioned surface of said lower top roll, that part of said lower top roll which has drawing engagement with said upper top roll being itself engaged only by the a smooth middle portion of the associated driving roll section, whereby roughening of the coactin'g' drawing surfaces is avoided.

O'IIO W. SCHLUMS. 

